It just doesn't make sense...

[Forest]

Just my  :2c: here, and this won't include scripture, but here is a bit of my testimony!

Like jabcat, I found UR while going through hell on earth. I started posting on this forum a few years ago, but I read wayyyyy more than I post! I was so unsure of UR at first because it felt too childish and good to be true (thinking of the scriptures that tell us to have faith like little children though!).

I have a friend who is Calvinist that really condemned my beliefs (as Calvinists believe people are actually predestined for hell or heaven) AND told me that I was OBVIOUSLY predestined for hell because I was having "ungodly" beliefs.

I struggled for over a year (and admittedly still do sometimes), as I wondered how someone could believe that. That a g-o-d (as Baxter Kruger says) would create something solely out of love for their one and only begotten child, only to turn around and trash it basically.

Then I read the NDE of Howard Storm, and something he said really struck me, and it's what I think is going on here and in a lot of our testimonies: "The best religion is the one that brings you closer in relationship to God."

I have had a lot of spiritual experiences in my life, sometimes I forget these when things get rough, but looking back on them, they have always been EXACTLY what I needed -at that moment in time-. And when I share them with others, they sometimes don't make sense or align with others beliefs. But they have always been exactly what I needed in that moment.

Reading someone's testimony of their spiritual experiences and noticing that it doesn't match up to your beliefs doesn't necessarily mean that it's wrong or right. It may just be where they are at in their spiritual journey. And the fact of the matter is that NOBODY will have this 100% right because we are human and flawed!  :dunno2:

The biggest thing to remember (and I constantly have to remind myself of this), is that GOD is in control and GOD knows His people (a.k.a. EVERYONE). God is using everyone on this earth for a purpose, though sometimes it is tragic, or may be really tough to understand what that purpose is. It is our job to trust in Him and leave tomorrow's worries for tomorrow!

[Andrew]

Thanks for your posting your UR testimony forest. Did you have the "born again" experience as well? What was that like if you care to share.

- I might have to listen to Storm's NDE again - all I really remember is that initial unpleasant experience.

"The best religion is the one that brings you closer in relationship to God."

I don't know about that as people have encountered a lot of problems with Hinduism and many muslims have been shown visions of Jesus or experiences that led them to Christ. It seems to me that Jesus is the only Truth when it comes to religion but as to how it all works in the big picture appears to be very complex.   

- Andrew